When Things Go Awry
by My-Alphabet-Soup
Summary: 'I've killed her. I've killed Hermione Granger,' were the first thoughts to flash through Severus Snape's mind. Eventual HG/SS T for swearing and implied sexual content.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N So I've been away from the writing game for some time now…let me know if I suck at it. I've been going through a bit of a Snape phase at the moment (actually it's more of an Alan Rickman phase) (actually it's less of a _phase_ and more of an Alan-Rickman-Will-Forever-Be-Awesome thing). Anyway, I've decided to get in another story. Fear not, it is complete and so will be updated routinely. Please do let me know, on a scale of Justin Bieber to Alan Rickman, what you think of my writing, I do so love feedback (positive or negative).**

**Points of interest: **

**- The Final Battle has taken place and this is the year which Hermione and co. have returned for**

**- Snape survived (duh, or this story makes absolutely no sense)**

**- Neville does potions (just because he can, ok?) Just roll with it**

**Disclaimer: I solemnly swear that I am up to no good…however, I also solemnly swear that this not-good-ness has nothing to do with making money off characters that are not of my own creation.**

Potions was quite often Hermione's idea of a fun class. Sure, it made it difficult when you had Snape breathing down your neck, or when Neville needed so much help that he basically sat back while Hermione made both her potion and his. But all in all, Hermione liked the control that she had over it. The instructions were right there. It wasn't so much whether or not you completely understood (unless you wanted to be properly proficient in potions, which of course Hermione _did_, but for the purposes of this explanation, just roll with me for a moment) but your ability to follow set instructions. Obviously, upon entering their seventh year, it was more and more about the minute details; adding a clockwise stir here, waiting exactly, _exactly_ thirty seconds there. However, Hermione still felt that, to some degree, she still maintained a semblance of control, in that _she_ was responsible for this creation, it would be the fruits of _her_ labour.

She had not once tried to voice this to anyone. Harry held too much of a grudge against Snape to even consider liking a subject taught by him, and Snape loathed Harry too much to allow him to anyway. Ron…well Ron just wouldn't understand. She had once tried to explain to him just what it was about History of Magic that she found fascinating (despite the overly dull lectures from their ghostly Professor).

* * *

"But it's just a boring bunch of crap," Ron had so eloquently put it after Hermione had spent a solid fifteen minutes trying to explain how interesting the content actually was when it was taught in a semi-decent way.

"No Ron, you have to understand, it's the History that has made us what we are today. Just think, if Vedric the Violent hadn't attacked that village, you might not be standing here debating the toss with me," Hermione had pressed, albeit less eagerly than before; it was sometimes a very wearing exercise to try and explain such things to Ronald the Recalcitrant, "It's like the Butterfly Effect. It's all so interesting."

"Butterflies? When did we start talking about butterflies?" Ron had pulled a face at this, as though Hermione had just told him that she was completely, stark-raving mad.

"Oh forget it," Hermione had sighed.

* * *

_Never again_, Hermione thought as she repressed a shudder at the distant memory, _will I try to convince Ronald Weasley of something that he so obstinately disagrees with._

Yes, she could just imagine how that conversation would go.

_"I hate potions."_

_"Oh, you know, I actually don't mind it. I mean, it has its merits, wouldn't you say?"_

_"Hermione…are you feeling ok?"_

_"Fine actually. I'm just saying that it's not such a bad subject."_

_"Oh sure. Why don't you just go snog Snape and be done with it!"_

Ok…so maybe that's an exaggeration…but Hermione couldn't imagine it going too differently. So no thankyou, she had just decided she would keep her slight enjoyment to herself. Although, if she was completely honest with herself, she had entertained that very thought before. Well…perhaps not _snogging_ the brooding Professor…but she _had_ noticed that when you looked close enough, his hair wasn't so much greasy as it was silky, and his harsh features were much more proportionate and almost…handsome when we he wasn't concentrating so hard on teaching. Yes potions had recently become more than just brewing potions for Hermione, she had developed a new appreciation for the man.

As it was, she was on her way down there now with Harry and Ron for their double potions period. They arrived outside the dungeon door just in time to walk into the classroom with the rest of the students.

Snape strode to the front of the room, his robes billowing in much the same way as always, in an overly-dramatic, almost comical fashion. But, of course, no one dared mention this to Snape.

"Calming draughts have many useful qualities and uses," Snape began immediately, "One such use is in our very own hospital wing. As it happens, we are required to study this and, coincidentally, Madam Pomfrey is running low on supplies. Now I normally wouldn't have taught you this potion until later in the year, since this is an advanced version, altered so that as well as calming, it can give the drinker good dreams, as opposed to the dreamless sleep potion, which is self-explanatory," here Snape paused, with an almost deadly look on his face, as though he was _very_ pissed off that he had had to change his lesson plan to benefit someone else, "but the situation being the way it is, the Headmaster thought it appropriate to teach it now. I can only hope you are all as competent as the Headmaster believes you to be. Though I highly doubt it."

The class seemed even more attentive today, though this was probably due more to the fact that Snape was already in a foul mood and no one was willing to test its boundaries. Neville seemed to be sweating in his chair, because he knew that one mistake today could cost him dearly. He subconsciously drew slightly closer to Hermione. Snape stood at the front of the room, glaring out at them all, but then he turned and rapped his wand on the board so that the instructions could be seen by all.

"Anyone who cannot produce a sufficient Calming Draught will not only have to produce a foot-long essay on the draught itself, but will also be serving a detention…for incompetency," Snape nearly growled. Here Neville actually whimpered softly, as though scared for his life.

There was the usual scurry to get the required ingredients, but as soon as everyone was back at their cauldrons, the oddly subdued silence settled upon them once more. Hermione began her potion quite quickly, progressing to the second stage before some had even started on the first. She managed to create her own personal bubble in lessons such as these. Although one drawback of this was that she often started humming under her breath quite involuntarily and she had to quickly cut this off before anyone noticed. However, her bubble seemed ultra-protective today. Perhaps it was because she had read a lot about Calming Draughts and so was a bit familiar with the method, or perhaps it was just because of the fumes from the potion itself, but Hermione just completely went off into her own world.

_Yes,_ Hermione thought to herself, _as long as I can successfully tune out Snape and anything else around me, potions becomes almost…tranquil._

Hermione was vaguely aware of what was happening around her, but not enough to actually notice the exact reason for it.

"— you add your toadstools you stupid boy?" Snape was yelling.

"Y-y-yes," Neville stammered.

"'_Yes'_," Snape sneered mockingly, "If you are so incapable that you cannot tell the difference between toadstools and mushrooms, then I'm not even sure–"

But no one heard what Snape wasn't sure about, because in his rage, he had thrown his hands down on Neville's desk and a jar had been overturned, sending the contents spilling into the cauldron and at that moment the cauldron had emitted a loud spitting noise. Seeing as he was already scared out of his wits, Neville half-believed that Snape was trying to hex him and so he leapt behind Harry's cauldron, who happened to be situated behind the unfortunate boy.

Snape, however, leaned cautiously over the top of the cauldron. No one was prepared for the look that ran across the surly professor's face; shock. Pure, unadulterated shock. He took several staggered steps backwards, and most of the student body did the same. The only person who had not moved was Hermione, who was still not fully out of her trance. The last thing she heard was shouting for her to get down. The last thing she felt was the potion covering her completely. The last thing she saw was a shocked, almost horrified look from Snape (which was surprising in itself, seeing as the only emotion that every seemed to cross his face was hatred or else a permanent sneer) before the potion obscured her view.

**A/N Oh dear Hermione!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N Oooooooooooo…what did the mystery potion do? Well in this chapter we find out. And no, this is not some 'And Hermione turned into a baby' thing, and it's not 'And Snape and Hermione were joined at the hip for the next month'. It's different. Trust me. Don't trust me? Read ahead and you'll find out. (Although I'm slightly hurt that you didn't trust me :[ ) Either way, read on!**

**Oh and just so we're all aware, Sevvy-baby is going to become kind of OOC, but that's to be expected from SS/HG.**

**Disclaimer: I own a very large nothing.**

Floating.

Floating.

Floating.

Floating is the strangest feeling. It's like you know that you won't fall…but there's still that risk. It's like…knowing how a helium balloon feels when it's let go. You don't know its journey; you don't know what that little trooper goes through. But you do know that what goes up must come down. So it's only a matter of time before _you_ come down.

It's taking a long time though…

* * *

_I've killed her. I've killed Hermione Granger,_ were the first thoughts to flash through Severus Snape's mind, _Oh God…oh God, oh God, ohGodohGodohGOD!_

The entire room was silent for a good minute. No one really knowing what to do. No one was sure what would happen if they came into contact with the sticky, blue potion that now coated half the room. Ronald Weasley appeared to be having some sort of inner quarrel, as if unsure whether or not he should brave the goo and see if Hermione was ok. After making an odd movement, as if he had gone to get up but had been pulled back by an invisible force, he shakily stood up.

"No!" Snape's voice commanded, "Don't touch her. Don't touch the potion."

Snape had risen now and had swiftly pulled out his wand and was now muttering an evaporation spell to clear the room of the sweet, innocent smelling potion. He was mad…no…scrap that…he was furious…he was _seething_ with anger. And the class knew it.

"Out. Everyone get out now. You too Potter and Weasley. I don't care what your opinion on the matter is," he continued as both boys opened their mouths to protest, "Out! _Out_!"

How had he let this happen? How could he possibly have caused this explosion? He had no idea what concoction that moronic Longbottom boy had come up with, but obviously it did not agree with half a cup of crushed lacewing flies. Well surely it couldn't be too bad. Surely a Calming Draught couldn't be mangled _too_ much by that mistake of Longbottoms…? Then again…this _was_ Longbottom. Snape gingerly approached Hermione's limp body, as though afraid of what might have resulted.

Upon reaching her, he first nudged her with his foot. Then, after ascertaining that she was safe to touch, he bent down next to her, turning her face-up. Her skin was absolutely freezing and her lips had turned an eerie greenish colour. Her eyes were half-closed, so that only the whites were showing, giving her a deranged look, especially when paired with her bushy mane of hair. This was bad, and Snape knew it. And it was his fault. He would try to blame Longbottom for it, but, ultimately, it was he who had unwittingly added the final ingredient. Fucking lacewings.

Wasting no more time, Snape scooped Hermione up in his arms and raced her to the hospital wing. Upon reaching the wide double doors, he used a wordless spell to cause them the fly open and out of his way so that he could alert Madam Pomfrey as quickly as was humanly possible. Severus Snape was a lot of things, but he was not an uncaring bastard. As much as he pretended to be the heartless git that cared for nothing and no one, it really was (mostly) just an act. Of course, he had sworn to himself that he wouldn't care for anyone beyond the realms of common decency (though he could make some exceptions and not even go that far for some people *cough*Potter*cough*), but this fell into that category, so it was permissible.

"Good Lord! What happened to her?" Madam Pomfrey exclaimed as she ushered Snape over to a bed to set the girl down on.

"A potion exploded on her in my classroom. I don't know what the potion was, nor what its effects are, because it was an accidental brewing," Snape told her quickly.

"She looks…she looks awful," Madam Pomfrey almost whispered.

"Oh why yes, _thank_you for that assessment, I thought she looked bloody well dandy! Are you a bloody medi-witch, or aren't you?" Snape hissed at her.

Madam Pomfrey hurriedly busied herself checking over Hermione, but the expression on her face went from bad to worse.

"Well what is it?" Snape demanded of her when she finally stepped back from Hermione's bed.

"She…she's in a coma at the moment. I don't know what was in that potion, but it's caused parts of her brain to just…shut down. But it's also managed to preserve her in this state. As long as nothing changes, she won't get worse…but…I don't know what to do to make her better," Madam Pomfrey told Snape, white-faced.

"Perhaps I can help there," came the Headmasters voice, and Snape turned to see him striding up the hospital wing.

**A/N Headmaster Albus Dumbledore to the rescue! But can he save the poor girl in time? Will Severus Snape continually blame himself? Can Batman free Robin before he's lowered into a tank containing rabid, man-eating barramundi? Stay tuned to find out all of these things and more. No wait…scrap that last Batman one. We all know Batman would save Robin.**

**Feel free to leave a review. Whether it be helpful, hurtful, useful or just truthful, all reviews are welcome.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N I am drinking tea to get me in an English mood. I am Australian, you see, and so I cannot properly appreciate the wonder that is the UK. However, I shall try my darndest. As it is, I have failed already because my tea is out of a tea-bag. I apologise England. Anyway, moving along.**

**In this chapter we will explore the coma that Hermione has been subjected to. Some parts may get a little confusing, but stick with me and I promise it will all make sense once you reach the bottom of the page. I feel confidant that you will understand. Pretty confidant. Well…perhaps…I mean I _hope_ you will.**

**Um…**

**Disclaimer: I own a very large nothing.**

Woah!

That flying lamp just zoomed dangerously low over my head. And where has that funny little tea-pot with the three mice in it gotten to? Oh dear, this _is_ quite a strange place. And _oh_! What is _that_?

My eyes widened as they fixed onto a large shadow moving ever closer. It seemed to be making slow progress, and as I watched it, it almost looked as if it might be hesitant. But I couldn't see what it was. It was definitely big. Big like…like a…like a house. But as it ambled ever closer, I could see that it was a mushroom. I nearly jumped out of my skin when its slow progress halted momentarily and then it rushed at me quite quickly.

Now normally mushrooms were not very scary. But imagine if you were faced with a mushroom when you could see that it was as big as a house! As mushrooms went, this one was quite confronting indeed! I craned my neck to see that it had large blue spots on top, which were smoking slightly; the acrid smoke curling whitely into thin tendrils that probed into the space above it. I had not realised that there were walls surrounding me. Had they been there before? Oh my.

Looking back down at the base of the mushroom, I saw that there was a door. But the door was far too small for me to fit through. What with the mushroom and the tiny door and the strange not-knowing-at-all-where-I-am feeling, I was suddenly reminded of Alice in Wonderland.

Opening the door, I saw that the inside of the mushroom was furnished like one of the potions labs in Hogwarts. I wondered if I was currently in some warped version of the Room of Requirement. But how was I to fit through the door?

Peering in, I wondered if I could maybe _just_ squeeze myself in. I reached in with one arm, and then pushed my head through. Pulling myself forward with the arm that was already inside, I suddenly felt myself shrinking. Once I was appropriately sized, I moved further into the lab. I looked around and saw my potions class attempting to brew a potion. I wasn't sure which one it was, so I looked towards the board, only to see that instead of a board, there was a large swing-set. And on the swing-set was an almost disturbing sight; Severus Snape propelling himself forwards and backwards with a bemused expression on his face, apparently unaware of the class that was working before him, his cloak billowing out behind him in a ridiculous manner. But even as I turned around to see if anyone else has noticed, I only saw a wide expanse of grass.

Turning back to the swing-set, I moved towards the daydreaming Snape to see if it actually was him. As I moved closer, a second swing appeared. When I reached it, I sat down on it tentatively. As soon as I made contact with the swing, Snape seemed to notice me.

"I'm glad Albus installed these. Much less stress these days. We should buy a set of swings for He-Who-Has-No-Fun. Perhaps then he wouldn't be such a miserable bitch," Snape mused, while I began to gain momentum.

"Am I dreaming?" I asked suddenly.

"Do you think you are dreaming?" was Snape's reply.

I answered, while trying to swing ever higher, "You know, I don't think I am. At least…this is not a _regular_ dream."

"No?" Snape asked, a wide grin spreading across his face. This was a strange sight, seeing as Snape had probably never tried to smile in his entire life and the muscles required had probably never been used before, "Well my dear, how can you be so sure of that?"

"Well…tell me something I don't know," I demanded from the man on the swing beside me.

"The Queen of England likes to dance the polka while wearing a frilly, pink tutu!" Snape cried in exultation.

"Something _real_!" I yelled back, exasperated.

"Very well," Snape grinned, "What would you like to know? How about this; there is a room in the castle. In Hogwarts. A room that is so well hidden that none know of its existence but me! It is not like the Room of Requirement, but it appears in a similar manner. One must walk past the correct stretch of wall, while holding a certain potion with a rather strong smell, but it can only be done at a specific time during the day. This time changes each and every day, and it is very difficult to work the time out."

"Well that's ridiculous! How am I supposed to know if you're lying or not? And anyway, that was too vague to really mean anything at all. You're just being silly!" I exclaimed.

"But you could say that about anything that I said, my dear. After all, you did tell me to tell you something that you did not know. How could you know whether or not I was lying?" Snape asked gleefully.

"How indeed," I muttered angrily. This world, whatever it was, was beginning to get annoying.

Then suddenly the air changed. I felt a change in character from behind me, and turned to look at Snape. The gleeful grin on his face had changed into his usual scowl, and he had dug his heels into the ground to stop the swing as hurriedly as possible.

"Swing-sets? Really Miss Granger," he sounded affronted.

"Sorry Sir," I mused, "You're much more you than you were a few moments ago."

"What are you on about?" Snape asked, but then waved his hand in the air impatiently before I could answer, "You must come back with me."

"Back where?" I asked with a confused expression.

"To the real world," he growled, clearly growing impatient.

"But this _is_ the real world!" I insisted, "I don't know what you mean."

"Miss Granger, you cannot seriously think that _this_ is the real world. This is a farcical, made-up land," Snape said, a dark scowl crossing his features again, "And will you get _off_ that ridiculous swing!"

I just gave him a confused look and he threw his hands up in the air with a loud, 'Oh Merlin!'

"You're _dreaming_ Granger. This is all in your head," Snape told me sternly.

"No," I said simply.

"What?" he snapped, growing more impatient by the second.

"I said 'no'. It is a negative answer…opposite of yes. Usually said one when does not desire to –" I began, but was cut off.

"Yes, I am aware of what the word _means_ you silly girl. I was merely expressing my disbelief at your contradiction. This _is_ all happening in your head, and any attempts to persuade yourself otherwise are foolish," Snape growled silkily.

"But this isn't a dream," I murmured, steadfastly sticking to my instincts.

"Oh you are being…" Snape trailed off as his face turned to a neutral look, and then the grin once more exploded in his features, "…far more sensible now."

His radical mood changes were giving me whiplash. I gaped at him as he settled himself back onto the swing and started to rock himself back and forth to gain some momentum.

As he started to swing higher, I decided that this was not all that productive, and so I dug my heels into the ground, grinding my swing to a stop. Stepping off, I took one last glance back at the smiling Snape and started to walk towards a building that I could see in the distance.

* * *

"Ridiculous!" Severus Snape shouted. The sound of his own voice surprised him somewhat. It had been a week since Hermione had been hit by the potion, and the Headmaster was unwilling to have her removed to St Mungo's due to reasons unknown (although Dumbledore seemed to have at least one, for he refused to have her moved). As it was, she had yet to make any sort of improvement.

The reason that Snape was sitting in her private room now was that Dumbledore had suggested trying to reach her psyche to try to communicate with her. Since Severus was an accomplished Legilimens, it was he who was attempting to reach her. When he asked why Dumbledore couldn't have done it himself, Dumbledore just smiled and offered him a lemon drop. The type of Legilimens that he was using was different to the normal kind. Instead of a vaguely mental foray into the other person's mind, it was much more like a physical journey. He had only ever heard of it briefly before and had never tried it and so did not know the particulars, but he had accomplished it quite successfully nevertheless.

Severus now realised that he had heard his own voice because he had been expelled from Hermione's mind before he was ready. He turned to his left to see Minerva McGonagall tense in her seat, apparently having been unprepared for Severus' outburst. Albus Dumbledore was sitting beside her, also a bit more tense than usual, but giving off a calm air about him.

"Well Severus?" Albus asked as he leaned forwards to his younger colleague.

"She's definitely in there. But I wasn't there long enough to see whether or not she will be able to come out. I also could not tell whether or not her brains had been addled, or if they are just trapped within the confines of herself, a prisoner in her own body as it were," Severus murmured, "She's invented some sort of…farcical world for herself. She seems reluctant to leave. She also seems to be unaware that it is happening inside her head."

"What exactly did you say to her?" Albus questioned.

"I told her to stop being silly and to come back to the real world," Severus said.

"Well…perhaps you used the wrong approach. Maybe you need to be more…kind," the Headmaster offered with a small smile.

"Albus? I'm sorry, I was under the impression that you knew Severus. Apparently you have not met, because I do not believe he is capable of being _kind_. Tolerant, perhaps, but kind is stretching it," Minerva put in before Severus could answer. He would have looked slighted, but he inwardly shrugged, admitting to himself that she did have a point.

But the twinkly-eyed Headmaster just chuckled softly and said, "Perhaps another try tomorrow then."

**A/N Well that was certainly a fun chapter to write. A little bit crackfic-esque, but all for the good of the story, I assure you.**

**Well what thinks ye? Good? Bad? Boil em? Mash em? Stick em in a stew?**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N What weird and wonderful world will Severus stumble into today? Also in this chapter; Harry and Ron appear (not in her created world) (although…perhaps they will. I don't know, I've yet to write the chapter). As a point of interest, I hate it when Ron and/or Harry are made out to be cowardly, idiotic, tactless, non-caring tools. While they are some of these things some of the time, does not mean they are all of these things all of the time. Find the balance people.**

**Disclaimer: I own a very large nothing.**

"Sir, you have to let us see her! She's been in there for a week! We're her best friends!" Harry and Ron were all but yelling at Dumbledore, "_Please_!"

"Boys, boys," Dumbledore held up his hands to silence the pair, "I have no intention of keeping you from Miss Granger any longer, but just remember that she is in a fragile state and we are still not entirely sure what is wrong with her."

"We know Sir, we just want to see her," Ron murmured, his voice thick with worry.

The two boys had barely slept a wink for the past week, for all the worrying they had been doing. When Hermione had failed to return to their dormitory the first night, they had gotten very worried indeed, heading straight for the hospital wing, only to be sent back to their dorms. Even when they had employed the use of the Invisibility Cloak, they had been found out and sent back to their beds immediately.

Now, a week later, they had stood in front of the gargoyles guarding the entrance to Dumbledore's office hurling off as many lolly names as they could think of in the hopes of getting the right one. When they eventually had gained access (with the use of 'Peppermint Humbug'), they had marched straight up to knock on Dumbledore's door. As soon as the door had opened, they had begun shouting about how Hermione was their friend and they had the right to be with her while she was ill, only to be cut off by Dumbledore raising his hands to the air.

After Dumbledore had told them that they could see her, they were escorted by Dumbledore himself, who had been on his way to see Hermione anyway. On the way Dumbledore had explained exactly what condition she was in and told them what was being done about it.

"Snape's going _into_ her mind?" Harry had burst out once he reached this bit.

"_Professor_ Snape, Harry. But yes, essentially," Dumbledore told the boys.

After exchanging an uneasy look, Ron said, "Whatever is best for Hermione. Whatever makes her better."

Once at the hospital wing, the boys were directed to a small room at the very end, close to Madam Pomfrey's office. Dumbledore opened the door and the boys walked slowly in. Situating themselves, one either side of her, they each took a hand of hers.

"She's freezing!" Harry gasped.

"Yes, unfortunately we have been unable to alleviate that. Any attempt to do so has failed," Dumbledore informed the distressed boys, then turned to the medi-witch, who had just appeared, "How is she today Poppy? Any change?"

Madam Pomfrey looked at him almost beseechingly, "I'm afraid not Albus. Is there nothing else you can think of that may help her?"

At this, Albus took a deep breath, "Not just yet Poppy. I don't want to risk hurting her any more."

As Madam Pomfrey was about to ask the Headmaster what he meant by that, Snape strode into the room, interrupting her.

"Ah, Severus. Another attempt today then?" Albus smiled wanly.

"Hopefully today is more successful," Snape replied, then looks at the boys perched either side of her, "I will need them to leave. It could break my focus."

As cries of outrage left the boys mouths, Albus held up his hands. "Severus, I have the utmost confidence in your level of focus, and two boys being in the room could hardly make a difference."

"But Headmaster," Snape growled, "_These_ two boys could not sit still if you stunned them."

Before Albus could reply, Harry burst out with, "She's our best friend! If she will benefit from this, then of course we aren't going to do anything to jeopardise that. We are not leaving this room."

"Very well," Snape almost hissed in a lethal sounding voice, "But if either of you break my concentration, you will be sorry."

"We'll leave you to it then," Dumbledore said as he gestured for Madam Pomfrey to go through the door before him.

Once they were gone, Snape closed the door and locked it. Turning back to the boys with a scowl so fierce that it warped his whole face, he growled, "Though I don't think you should be in here, if either of you make so much as a peep, you will be out in the corridor before you can say 'Dumbledore'."

"She's our best friend, and we sure as hell _should_ be in here…_Professor_," Harry told him stiffly, adding the last word when he saw the contemptuous look on Snape's face.

"Shut up and be still, or this won't work," Snape said.

Both boys did as they were told, and watched as Snape closed his eyes, apparently concentrating very hard.

* * *

When I entered her mind this time, I was confronted immediately with a seaside scene. I could feel the golden-white sand between my toes, could smell the salty air and heard the sound of waves lapping at the shore. As I turned my head to look at a sand castle being made of its own accord, I was hit in the head with something. Turning angrily to see what the offending object was, I saw a ball. I looked up to see a smiling Miss Granger laughing at me.

"Severus, you're supposed to hit it with your hands!" she laughed.

I scowled up at the net that was strung across a rectangular court that we were standing in and I recognised it as the muggle sport volleyball. I looked back down at the ball and then strode over to Miss Granger.

"What are you doing Miss Granger?" I asked her.

"We're playing beach volleyball Sev," she grinned, "And I told you, call me Hermione."

'_Sev'? Her subconscious is weird_, I thought to myself.

"No, I mean why won't you admit that this isn't really happening?" I told her.

"Not happening? I don't know what you mean, Sev," she looked politely puzzled.

I sighed, "We've been through this Miss Granger. I told you yesterday."

"Yesterday?" she repeated, "Yesterday we were at the circus. You told me that you had always wanted to be a trapeze artist, but you never said anything about this being in my head."

_Time must move differently for her_, I thought.

"When was I…swinging on the swings with you?" I shuddered at the memory of me being on a swing.

"That was a few days ago now," Granger smiled, "What's gotten into you Sev?"

"Miss Granger, do you remember anything about being in potions class with me when that potion exploded?" I tried a different tack.

She looked thoughtful for a moment, "Erm…yes, yes I do."

"Yes well that potion covered you from head to foot and you reacted to it quite badly. You are in a coma Miss Granger. I'm here to help you out," I informed her.

"A coma? But…" she looked down at herself, "I feel fine."

"Of course you do, because this is all in your head," I repeated, getting slightly frustrated. For the 'smartest witch of her age', she sure was taking a long time to catch on.

"If this was all in my head, we wouldn't be at the beach," she concluded eventually.

"What? Me being at the beach would _only_ happen in your head!" I half-yelled.

"No, no, I'd go somewhere _much_ more exciting," she smiled.

Suddenly she began to walk away from me. I hurried after her, cursing the sand that was being caught up in my robes. This was her imagination, so why couldn't I be in less billowy robes while at the beach? Anyway, as she walked up a winding path leading away from the beach, the scenery around us began to change. Colours and shapes morphed in and out of focus, but Miss Granger seemed to know where she was going, because we had reached a fork in the road and she was whispering, "Was it left? Oh…er…left. Yes, left."

So we took the left path and I found myself growing ever more impatient as we continued to walk and she ignored any attempt at telling her that this was in her head, "Just look around you! This kind of backdrop could only occur in a dream!"

But she just walked on.

Eventually she broke into a bit of a run, a wide smile on her face. I ran to keep up with her, worried that I would lose her in this godforsaken place. I saw that she was running towards an enormous book that had a small door at its base. Miss Granger squeezed through the door and disappeared from sight. I crouched down at the door. There was no way I was going to fit through. I peered in and gasped. In front of me were thousands upon thousands of books. From what I could see, there were all sorts of books in there; children's books, scientific books, books on magic, old tomes that were falling apart from age.

"Miss Granger!" I called after her retreating figure, "Miss Granger! Hermione!"

Using her given name felt odd. I had never done it before. But it wasn't a bad odd. Filing this away for further thought later, I returned my attentions to the little door.

"Let me in!" I yelled at the small figure that I could see sitting on the other side of the massive library.

I suddenly heard footsteps to the right. I turned and saw Potter and Weasley striding towards me, strange expressions on their faces.

"Why do you want to come in?" Potter asked dreamily.

"So that I can talk to Miss Granger, now let me in!" I growled menacingly at Potter. Unfortunately this did not have the desired effect, and instead of letting me in, both boys just laughed…actually giggled would be a more appropriate term.

At that moment Weasley looked down at his watch, "Oh no, it's time for our Snape to come back now. I don't think Hermione even recognised the difference. Goodbye."

Before I could yell at him for being incompetent, I found myself sitting in Granger's hospital room. Weasley and Potter were looking at me expectantly.

"What happened?" Potter asked anxiously.

"I am not required to discuss that with you Potter," I sneered at him.

"Well I give permission for the boys to hear what happened," Albus said as he strode into the room with a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye.

I glared at the Headmaster with as much contempt as I could muster, and then began to tell him what had happened.

"Interesting. She seems completely unwilling to believe that it's all in her head, but it also appears as though she is, in all other aspects, her normal self," Albus mused.

"Yes, well I have several potions to brew," I told the old man and walked out of the room, only to have him follow me.

"It's very interesting that you have been able to access her mind both times you have tried, isn't it?" Dumbledore smiled as we reached the other end of the hospital wing.

"And why is that?" I asked, tired of his cryptic talk.

"Because in order for this type of Legilimency to work, the person must first be thinking about you, otherwise you will not have a body to materialise into. Why do you think I haven't had her sent to St Mungos?" he replied.

I paused for a moment, "So…but why would she have been thinking about me?"

"Why indeed," Albus chuckled softly, "I wonder if Fawkes would like a new perch."

Knowing that it was pointless to continue talking with him once he reached this stage of saying whatever came to his mind, I took the next flight of stairs I came across down towards the dungeons.

**A/N So Hermione is still trapped within the confines of her own mind, and Severus is getting frustrated by her lack of cooperation. But why on earth would she be thinking about him? If you wish to find out, continue reading.**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N In this chapter we will explore a bit more of the Hermione/Snape thing. "But that's boring!" I hear you say. Then I guess we'll have to have it take place in an amusing location.**

**Disclaimer: I own a very large nothing.**

Hermione had been in this odd place for about a week now. And some very interesting things had happened. She felt like she was in some massive Room of Requirement. Today she woke up to an elaborate palace with thousands of rooms filled with, what looked to be, priceless artefacts. Mundungus Fletcher would have a field day. She spent the morning exploring the many rooms, stopping occasionally to examine a few objects.

It was when she came to a solid black door, however, that she stopped completely, staring at the door. She knew that whatever was behind it was good. She had to get in. She reached forwards, but sure enough, the door was locked. Pulling out her wand, she murmured 'Alohomora' but the spell did nothing. Frowning at it, she kicked it in frustration. To her immense surprise and pleasure, she heard a click.

"Note to self," she murmured with a smile, "Next time you can't unlock a door, kick it."

She pushed the door open and inside was a dark room with a huge bed covered in black silk sheets. She wandered over to it and ran a hand over the glistening material. Looking around, she saw that there were deep red hangings around the bed and the walls were as black as the blackest night. There were candles situated around the room, and she started to notice just how much of a romantic setting this was. She looked down to discover that her robes had been replaced by black silken panties and a deep red negligee. The negligee was pretty much just a bra with two see-through bits of material hanging down just past the top of the pants.

She sat down on the bed to test how comfortable it was. And sweet _Merlin_ how it was comfortable. She looked down again and saw that her long, slim legs looked almost white against the unforgiving black of the sheets. Suddenly she heard a noise from behind her. She turned to see Severus Snape standing at the door eyeing her hungrily.

"Sev?" she giggled as he walked towards her as a jungle cat would stalk its prey.

* * *

It was time once again for Severus to enter Hermione's mind to try and coax her out. He situated himself at the end of her bed and concentrated. The first thing he became aware of was a sudden cold mixed with a warm line across his chest. He opened his eyes and nearly had a heart attack. The cold was due to the fact that he was not wearing a shirt, and the warm line was an arm that had been flung across his chest haphazardly. As he scrambled away from the sleeping form of Hermione, it registered somewhere in his mind that she was also not wearing a shirt.

Looking around, he saw that he was in some sort of bedroom. He knew what had just happened. The strange thing was that he wasn't as appalled as he ought to have been. His eyes flicked back to Hermione as he heard a groan from her direction and she turned her head to face him.

"Sev?" she asked with a smile, "What are you doing over there?"

Unable to speak, Severus remained silent, his mouth gaping open slightly. Without warning, Hermione rolled herself over to him and planted her lips firmly on his. Being as shocked as he was, he didn't pull away at first, but neither did he reciprocate. Once, however, he had gathered his wits, he had wrenched himself away from Hermione, falling to the floor most unceremoniously. He snatched one of the blankets from the bed and used it to cover himself.

"What's wrong Severus?" she asked, a hurt look crossing her face.

"We…we can't do this," Severus insisted, holding a hand out in front of him as she made to move forwards.

"Why not? You were all for it last night," she said, stung by the rejection.

"Miss Granger, this is hardly appropriate," Severus swallowed thickly, wondering why on earth he was still not sure whether or not he meant what he was saying.

"'Miss Granger'? It was Hermione last night," she turned away from him, flushing.

"Miss Gra…Hermione, this isn't really happening. You need to realise that, because the faster you do, the faster you will wake up," Severus insisted.

But she was a stubborn girl, "This _is_ happening. I _know _it is."

By now tears were shining on her cheeks and Severus shifted uncomfortably; he didn't want to try and talk her out of this while she was crying.

"I love you Sev," she sobbed and Severus' jaw dropped and a look of incredulity spread over his face, "And you said that you loved me."

"I…" Severus was absolutely dumbstruck. He had not shown this much emotion in years.

_Why is it so hard to maintain a mask of neutrality when I'm with Hermione?_ Severus thought wildly to himself. _And when did she cease to be Miss Granger and become Hermione? And oh _Merlin_! She's crying!_

Unsure how to proceed, Severus just let the girl cry.

"I th-though you m-meant it!" she was sobbing shrilly.

Without warning, Severus lunged up and claimed her mouth with his. After her initial shock wore off, she warmed into the kiss and deepened it. The kiss was only broken when they had to surface for air.

This time before he went, Severus could actually feel himself fading away from her. When he came back to himself in Hermione's hospital room, the look on his face was utterly shocked.

"What's wrong?" Ron asked quickly, seeing the look on Severus' face.

Hurriedly fixing a scowl onto his face, Severus snapped, "Nothing's wrong you stupid boy. If something was wrong, I'd have already gone to get the Headmaster."

**A/N And so it was that the two fell in love and lived happily ever after.**

**Well actually there's still a way to go yet. Another 3 chapters to be precise.**

**For anyone who was hoping to find some lemony goodness, I'm afraid I don't particularly like to write it. If anyone reviews and wishes for me to write some, I may think about writing it, but if no one does, then it shall stay the way it is.**

**Anyhow, I'm quite enjoying the way this story is going, I hope you are too! :D**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N *takes deep breath* Mmmm, nothing like the smell of fresh air on a day when you have just completed your stupidest and most irrelevant exam! But you don't care about that, do you? DO YOU? No, I thought not. Yes, how typical of you. You sitting there all high and mighty while I work and bring home the money for us. Well not anymore! I WANT A DIVORCE!**

**Um…I mean, I'm going to write a chapter now…and you're going to read it?**

**BTW: Good old Severus Snape will be quite OOC in this chapter. That tends to happen when one is invaded by the fuzzies (aka love).**

**Disclaimer: I own a very large nothing.**

Severus just could _not_ get that kiss out of his mind. The way her tongue had run the length of his lip and the way she bunched her hands in his hair (which was silky dammit! Silky!). The way that her body had fit snugly against his, as though they had been designed specifically for one another. No matter how hard he tried to tell himself that Professor Snape is not a goddamn pansy, he just couldn't stop his wandering mind from taking a jaunt down memory lane.

The next time he went to visit Hermione, it was not because he needed to enter her subconscious again; it was because he wanted to see her. Although he did make sure that it was done during the blackest night, stealing into her room under cover of darkness. Perching himself gingerly on one of the chairs next to her bed that was usually reserved for Weasley (he refused to sit in Potter's chair), he lit the little lamp beside the unconscious girl.

He had never before realised just how large the bed was, and how small this made her look. He felt a sudden urge to make it smaller so that she didn't look so gosh darn vulnerable and tiny. His reasons for coming here were to convince himself that a) he was not attracted to her, and b) that the reason he still felt like a piece of shit was because this was his fault, and not because it was her that was the victim. Unfortunately, as he looked down at her, he found himself thinking, _Oh no. No no no. This isn't at all how I hoped my visit would turn out. Oh no. Oh…look at her. So small and fragile and whatnot. Er…I mean…what a bucktoothed…frizzy haired…angel-faced…wait, what? This insulting business is _much_ more difficult when you are attracted to the subject._

At this point he let out a loud gasp and clapped his hands to his mouth. Oh dear. He hadn't meant to think that. Attracted to her? To her? _Her_? Shaking his head to clear it, he looked back down at Hermione. Seeing her like this caused an unfamiliar sensation to blossom inside him. Like a terrifying dragon unfurling its wings and sending tendrils of fire shooting through him, the urge to comfort her filled him. He hesitantly raised his hand and placed it over her cold one.

"What am I doing Hermione? Or more to the point, what are _you_ doing to _me_?" he murmured aloud, though of course didn't expect an answer.

"Severus, fancy seeing you here," said a serene voice from behind the man in question and he jumped, removing his hand from Hermione's as though hers had suddenly grown white hot.

"Headmaster! What are you - ? I was just…I left my…er…pocket…" Severus began, becoming quickly flustered; something that he was quite unaccustomed to.

"You left your pocket?" Dumbledore inquired, with a politely puzzled look.

"Watch. My pocket watch. M-must have left it here when I was here…the other day…you know for the legilimency...but, ah…it doesn't appear to be here, so I'll…I'll just…you know…things to do," Snape waffled on, looking anywhere but at the twinkly-eyed professor.

"At midnight?" he asked, a hint of amusement in his voice.

"…yes," Snape concluded, "You know. Busy man, I am. I, er…what were _you_ doing up here?"

"Me? I found myself unable to sleep and thought I'd come down here and help myself to one of Poppy's sleeping draughts. As I was walking past here, I thought I'd check in on Miss Granger," he said, smiling down at Hermione's still figure. He then added, almost as an afterthought, "A remarkable young woman she is indeed. Wouldn't you agree?"

Severus made an odd noise that was supposed to have been a non-committal one, but came out as more of a strangled choke. With that, Dumbledore patted Severus on the shoulder and swept out through the door, turning back only to say to the still-flustered man, "Oh and I do hope you find your pocket watch, Severus. Time is quite a useful device."

* * *

'Young woman' he had called her. Yes, Hermione was no longer a girl. She had indeed matured into a beautiful…er…stunning…I mean…a woman. Just a woman

_You love her. Don't you,_ said an annoying voice from the dark recesses of his mind.

Traitorous brain! Stop having these thoughts!

_But Snapey-poo, it's ok to love. It's _wonderful_ to love._

Before Severus could wonder why his own mind referred to him as 'Snapey-poo', a knock had sounded on his office door. Collecting himself for a moment, he waited a few seconds before he called, "Enter!"

It was a timid looking first- or second-year Gryffindor, "Sir…Professor Dumbledore sent me Sir. He said…that, er - "

"Well spit it out boy!" Severus yelled at him, losing his patience.

The next words to come out of the boy's mouth were more of a jumbled sentence, rather than a decipherable one.

"Coherently now, or it'll be detention," Snape growled menacingly.

The boy seemed unsure on how to continue. He settled for speaking slightly slower and attempting to enunciate better, because he didn't want to risk speaking too slowly again, "Professor Dumbledore said he wants you to try again, Sir. I don't know what he meant…but he said you'd know."

"Fortunately for you, I do know. Now get out of my sight before I _do _give you detention. Oh and five points from Gryffindor for stupidity!" he called after the retreating figure.

_Come on Snapey-babe. You're absolutely lovesick. Why else would you almost forget to take points from Gryffindor?_

Wondering if there was a way to murder ones own subconscious, he hastened to the hospital wing. Upon arriving, he saw a small crowd gathered in Hermione's private room. Professor Dumbledore, Madam Pomfrey, Professor McGonagall and the dunder-twins, Potter and Weasley were situated at her bedside. Immediately upon entering, though, his attention was drawn by something else; her mouth was moving every now and then, but he couldn't get near enough to hear what she was saying.

"What is it? What's she saying?" he questioned, addressing Dumbledore.

"Mostly she's just repeating your name. It appears that she is improving and I believe that now is a very good time to attempt to rescue her from her own subconscious; when she is thinking of you particularly strongly," Dumbledore smiled, his twinkly-eyes seemed to be working over time, and Severus had a sneaking suspicion that the very perceptive Headmaster had not bought his pocket watch story. Though even Potter, King of the Idiots, would have seen through that story. Mentally slapping himself, he turned back to the unconscious girl on the bed.

"Very well. If I could have some privacy then. I need to concentrate," he snapped, feeling suddenly churlish.

Everyone left the room, though in Potter and Weasley's cases, rather reluctantly, and he sat down in the chair closest to the bed.

* * *

"Oh Severus! Do you mean it? Do you really, _really_ mean it?" Hermione squealed with delight, looking down at Snape, who was on one knee.

"Of course I mean it, my love. Marry me," he smiled widely up at her.

"Oh! Yes! Yes of _course_ I'll marry you!" Hermione gasped, quite overcome with emotion.

"Wonderful!" Snape cried, "You've made me the happiest man alive!"

Hermione grabbed Severus' hand and tugged him down the little pathway that ran parallel to the beach. As they ran, the surroundings shimmered and colours bled into others until they were in quite a different place. Hermione pushed Severus through a pair of large double doors and then closed her eyes tightly. She felt her clothes shifting around her as cotton turned to silk and loose t-shirt turned to fitted bodice. Her hair suddenly swept up of its own accord into an elegant twist at the base of her head, from which a veil sprung, covering her face.

Opening her eyes and looking down, she smoothed the wedding gown and took a deep breath. Picking a bouquet of flowers from the garden beside her, she too entered the little church. There, at the end of the aisle was her husband-to-be. Even though wizards usually wore dress robes for this occasion Severus had on black coattails and matching black slacks. A red rose was tucked into his lapel, matching Hermione's red rose bouquet. His hair fell around his face, looking much less greasy than it would have, and he wore a brilliant smile, that he now flashed at her.

Upon reaching him, a small man walked from seemingly nowhere and began to speak.

* * *

They had now reached the 'I do's and Hermione was especially excited for this.

"Do you, Severus Tobias Snape, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife? In sickness and in health? In good times and bad? Till death do you part?" the minister asked jovially.

Hermione smiled up at Severus expectantly waiting for his answer. Snape turned his radiant smile on her and opened his mouth, "I…" But at that moment, the grin slipped from his face and he looked around, confused.

"What?" he asked in a confused voice, "What is going on? Where are we?"

Snape started gently tugging his hands out of Hermione's grip. She felt as though she had been sucker-punched. She quickly dropped Severus' hands.

"What do you mean?" she asked, looking quite hurt, "This is our wedding. You just…proposed to me. Was it all…just a joke?"

"I…I'm not sure I…what?" Snape asked, wide-eyed. _Proposed? How much time has passed since I was here last? Holy shit hallucination-self! Slow it down buddy! She's only eighteen for Christ's sake!_

"Oh…oh my goodness…I'm so embarrassed!" Hermione cried breathlessly as she spun and hurtled down the aisle and out the doors.

"Oh…shit. Hermione! No, I…" Severus mumbled, still in shock. He had unwittingly crashed his own wedding and was having trouble with the whole 'letting it sink in' business.

"Perhaps you should go after her, big guy," the small priest offered, smiling widely.

"You're right!" Snape decided, then added, "But do not ever call me 'big guy' again. Ever."

With that he ran from the little church, in pursuit of his bride.

**A/N And so we leave the incredibly handsome groom to chase down his deluded bride. What will happen when he catches her? Will he catch her? So many things to ponder.**

**In other news: I'm not sure that this was a very good chapter…I do believe that I could have done better, but I am unwilling to change it, for fear that I will further decimate it. Oh well. I'll deal with it.**

**Thankyou lovely readers for staying with me thus far; only a few chapters to go!**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N And so we rejoin our hapless Potions Master as he attempts to catch up to his apparent wife-to-be, even though he cannot remember proposing to her (since he wasn't _actually_ there at the time, as it was all happening in Hermione's head). If he should lose her, how shall he regain the heart she has won from him? Oh how indeed.**

**Disclaimer: I own a very large nothing.**

Well shit.

Off she'd gone, running, but he hadn't seen _where_ she had run off _to_. Wonderful. Who knows how big this place is. Sighing and burying his head in his hands in a frustrated manner, Severus counted to twenty slowly before raising his head. Once he had done so, he let out a sound of shock. Where had everything gone? He was standing in a field of white. There was nothing to be seen here but white stretching as far as the eye could see. But what-ho? There. Off in the distance. Something that was _not_ white. He set off at a run, following the not-white area. As he ran, it appeared to get bigger and bigger, but it was taking him longer than it should have to reach, as if the coloured area itself was constantly moving away. Indeed, when he stopped to test this theory, the coloured expanse began to move away from him.

He then realised what was happening. The area only materialised into something resembling anything when Hermione was in range, otherwise it resumed it's neutral white colour, waiting for her to come back into range and create something with her mind. So all he had to do was follow the coloured area and run faster than her, since if he went slower than her, the coloured area would be moving too quickly for him to catch up with…if that made sense.

_My head hurts,_ Snape thought to himself as all of this ran errantly through his mind.

Setting off at a run again, he began to near the coloured area. Once he reached it, he realised that he was in a field with grass that was slightly taller than himself. And just _how_ was he supposed to locate Hermione in all of this?

As he ran, he was knocking the tall grass out of his way, leaving a path of destruction behind him, and suddenly he came out onto a narrow pathway that had obviously been caused by some other person stumbling blindly through the field. So all he had to do was follow it to find his bride. I mean…to find Hermione. He ran down the path that Hermione had made as quickly as he could and very soon, he could hear her choked sobs and footfalls as she crashed through the plants.

It didn't take long for him to catch up to Hermione and somewhere in his mind, it registered that the run had not tired him out at all, though it should have. He threw his arms around her waist and she dissolved into renewed tears, falling back into his embrace.

"Hermione, I'm sorry! I'm sorry, ok?" Severus half shouted at her, then took on a more calm demeanour, "Hermione, look, I know you don't believe me, but I have to explain myself and it's the only way I can. _You are dreaming_. This is all in your head and the only reason I didn't realise what was happening was that I wasn't actually there when I proposed to you. I'm the _real_ Severus Snape. I promise you, I didn't realise that I was going to be crashing my own wedding. And I'm sorry."

She just sobbed into his broad chest, soaking the front of his robes, but for some reason, he couldn't find it within himself to care about his robes at that point. He needed Hermione to understand.

"Hermione, it's the truth. Please say something," Severus pleaded, "I just - "

"I know! I know, ok?" Hermione snapped at him, through her tears, "I _know_ it's a dream. I just…the reason I got so upset and…and embarrassed was that it all started coming back to me and I know you're the real Severus Snape and you're probably going to think that I'm the biggest freak for dreaming about you non-stop. And I'm sorry about that…but…I just don't - "

She was cut off as Severus leaned down to plant a kiss on her lips, "I _don't_. I don't think you're the biggest freak. I don't even think you're a small freak. And…this isn't coming out right…you _aren't_ a freak at all. You…you're beautiful Hermione. You're a know-it-all, you're too enthusiastic about school work for your age and you don't know when to just sit and listen, but damn it all, you're the most amazing person I've ever met."

Hermione was staring up at him with a slightly dazed expression, "You…you really mean it?"

Severus just nodded, unsure of where that little rant had come from. But even as he wondered, he knew that he had meant every word of it. Hell…he loved her, "Of course I do."

"And…and you're real?" she asked in an unsure voice.

Here Severus actually chuckled, "Yes, I'm real. But Hermione, I just need you to wake up."

"But…I don't know how to," she admitted in a soft voice.

"If you're really the Hermione I know, you'll find a way," Snape smiled at her, but then he felt the now familiar tug that meant he was going home and therefore away from Hermione, "I have to leave now, but I want to see you awake very soon. Please promise me that you'll find a way back."

"You're going all fuzzy," Hermione frowned, "That's never happened before."

"I think it's because you got angry at me and so blocked me from your mind, but since I'm not part of your mind, I could appear," Severus told her, not sure if what he was saying was what had actually happened.

"Well take me with you," Hermione told him bluntly.

"What?" Snape asked.

"Take me with you," the bushy-haired girl repeated.

"Yes, I heard you, but I don't know what you mean," Severus told her, "I don't know _how_ to take you with me."

"Just…just hold tight," Hermione said as she took one of his rapidly fading hands in hers.

They held onto each other tightly, but when darkness took over, Severus suddenly felt her hand leave his. He realised that it was because his eyes were closed that it was black, and when he opened his eyes, it was to see her toffee-coloured ones staring back at him.

**A/N Yaaaaaaaaaay! Hermione woke up! How wonderful! One chapter to go now :D Yayzers!**

**But just because Hermione woke up, doesn't mean that she'll be entirely normal…**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N And so we enter the eighth and final instalment of this story of love, adventure and fantasy. And potions. Is Hermione her normal self? Or has the potion messed with her brain and addled her forever? The only way to find out is to torture the answer from me in a particularly nasty way, since I would never willingly give up my secrets! …or you could just read on. Go ahead.**

**Disclaimer: I own a very large nothing.**

"Hermione!"

She blinked up at the potions master as he sat, eagerly awaiting her reply. But instead she just lay there, blinking slowly at him.

"Hermione?"

He began to worry when she, again, didn't answer him. But then suddenly she opened her mouth, "I'm just memorising your face. I think I had you a little bit wrong. Your eyes were more almond shaped in my mind."

"Oh Hermione!" Severus pulled her gently into a kiss, to which she eagerly replied.

"Why Severus, I do believe you've found your pocket watch," came a calm voice from the door and both Hermione and Severus sprung apart as though each had grown white hot, "Oh, no need to pretend there are no feelings, I quite understand that Miss Granger is entitled to have feelings for whomever she wishes, as are you Severus. Technically she is at an age where she should have left school anyway."

Dumbledore's eye-twinkle seemed to be working overtime and Snape almost had to shield his eyes from the intense blue peering at him, "Er…Professor…could you…"Hermione's arm _was_ shielding her eyes.

"Oh…sorry," Dumbledore murmured and the twinkle lessened to a bearable level. He smiled once more and exited the room.

"You don't suppose he wears Spencer's All-Sparkle Contacts, do you?" Hermione mumbled, grinning to Severus.

"You know what Hermione?" Severus asked, smirking, "I couldn't really care less."

With that, he pulled her into a kiss once more.

**A/N Here our adventure ends. But feel free to join me next time when I write another story (although that could take a few months…). I am aware that this ending was quite abrupt and the only consolation I can offer is that there is perhaps a sequel in the works (not to be written for another few months though). Let me know what you think of this story. I am pretty happy with it :) Especially given that it was written somewhat hastily. Perhaps some day I'll go back and review it. Who knows. …do you know? Because if you do, that'd be swell. Let me know.**

**Cheerio**

**-Alphabet**


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